1 The Start

"Holly, come on you're going to be late." My dad yells from down stairs. I grab my ballet bag and head for the kitchen. My dad is cleaning up from my older brothers who came home from their basketball practice early today. My older brother Austin and my twin brother, Milo come in to the kitchen from the living room while I'm sitting in my chair. Austin sits on the stool next to the island. Milo, of course sits in the seat exactly next to me.

My dad sets all the dishes into the sink and hurries us all to the car. With tonight being the big night, I take the front seat, while Joshua and Austin and Brian and Milo all sit in the back.

I've dreamed about being the Sugar Plum Fairy since I first started doing ballet. My mother was a dancer up until she had my oldest brother Joshua. Even while her and my dad had been married many years before that, she continued to follow her own dreams. My mom is 44, my dad is 47. They met when they were in High school. They got married when my mom was 17. She graduated early and even left home for college early.

My dad pulled in to the parking lot of Flagstaff Arizona: Canyon Dance Academy. We satw in the truck looking at all of the Christmas trees and decorations and lights.

My brothers play on their phones and their car gaming system, that dad put in for long road trips. It was a long forty-five minute drive all the way from our house in Parks Arizona. the most beautiful scenery of all creations.

Still in the car I interrupt the laughter. "When will mom be here?" My dad looks at me and says. "I don't know pumpkin. Last time I spoke to her was when she said she was leaving work, gonna head home and get ready for tonight then meet us here." "Will she be here?" I ask. My dad takes a deep breath knowing my mom has said she would be here on countless occasions but never showed up. "She has to show up tonight. It's the biggest night of the year. I've worked so hard on being able to dance the Sugar Plum Fairy." I say. My older brother Brian sits back there and says. "She will be here HollyBell. Why don't we go inside and get some hot chocolate and let you stretch and get warmed up." I sit there and smile. It's been a long time since anyone has called me HollyBell. It goes so right together. Holly Bell Embers.

We get inside the building and the delicious smell of food and hot chocolate swirl and play in the air. My dance instructor greets me the moment I grab a hot cocoa.

"Merry Christmas Holly! Are you excited about dancing tonight?" Mrs. Clark asks. "I'm super excited. And I hope I can become more advanced after this." I tell her while taking a sip of my hot chocolate. She laughs and rubs her very pregnant belly. "Finish drinking that and go get warmed up for the show. I'll be back there in a few minutes." She pat's my shoulder and walks off.

I see my dad and I walk up to him. "Hey Pumpkin!" He says while he picks me up. I hug him tight and tell him what Mrs. Clark and I talked about. It made him laugh.

"You know Holly, you are just like me in that way." I look at him very confused. "Not in the dancing way, but in a bluntly honest kind of way, you know?" He says. I nod understanding him. "I got to go get warmed up. Save mom a seat. I love you dad. Merry Christmas." I hug him and I run off to the dressing room.

After I'm dressed and warmed up and stretched, I gladly make my way to the dance floor. Mrs. Clark proudly introduced herself and all of her talented students and successfully started the show.

The show finished and all of us kids got our flowers and I was named Queen of the Night. I was given my Tiara and sent off stage.

My dad gathered my brothers up and I went over to him. "HollyBell! That was amazing! You did so good." My dad hugs me, takes my rose's and helps me in to the car.

On our way home we listen to Christmas music, and dad points out all the lights. I still cant believe that Christmas is only two days away! But it still bugs me that mom didn't show up. Again. "I thought mom was going to come?" I asked while turning the music down. "I don't know where your mother is, Holly. But I promise you, I'll have a serious conversation with her about this." He says. And that's the end of that discussion.

We make it home right before all the street lights turn on. Dad pulls into the driveway giving us time to put our snow gear back on. It's freezing out there. With like 19 inches of snow, who wouldn't be cold in this? once we were all inside and ready for bed, dad came into the living room with a plate of snakes and a few new movies that he bought before he picked me up from school.

We are halfway through the second movie when the doorbell rings over and over again. I go open the door, after peeping out and seeing red and blue lights.

"Hello?" I ask once the door is wide open. "Hey Holly. Is your daddy home?" The officer says. For a minute I forgot who he was. He was my dads best friend from high school. I ran to get my dad, and he got up shocked.

"Derick, I hate to tell you this, but. have you seen your wife or talked to her in the last say four hours?" Mr. Officer asks. "Robbie, what's going on? No i haven't. I haven't seen her since this morning when she left for work. What wrong?" My daddy asks the cop.

"Alyssa was in a really bad car accident. She was leaving a motel around seven. Im sorry man. She didn't make it. I'll be over here after I get off my shift. Ok?" The cop says. Daddy nods to this, I was so confused I had no idea what was happening.

Daddy closed the door. And there were tears in his eyes. "Daddy, what's wrong?" Milo asks. "Dad, wheres mom?" Brian asks. My dad falls to the floor crying, and I was able to feel his pain.

My older brother Joshua, comes from up stairs and questions. "Dad, what happened?" "Guys, come here." We take a seat near daddy on the floor while daddy is crying hysterically.

He pushes my long dark hair behind my ear. "Guys, and Pumpkin; Your momma was in a really bad accident. She was leaving a hotel, and she didn't make it." He says slowly. Milo instantly starts crying. "What do you mean she didn't make it, dad?" Austin asks.

"Your mom died in the car accident." He says, trying not to cry. We all start crying and we fall asleep right there on the floor with our dad holding us. Protecting all five of us from the upcoming events...